Steller's Jay

The Steller's Jay shows a great deal of regional variation throughout its range. Blackish-brown-headed birds from the north gradually become bluer-headed farther south. The Steller's Jay has a more slender bill and longer legs than the Blue Jay and has a much more pronounced crest. The head is blackish-brown with light blue streaks on the forehead. This dark colouring gives way from the shoulders and lower breast to silvery blue. The primaries and tail are a rich blue with darker barring.

The Steller's Jay is classified as Least Concern. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.

The Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri) is a jay native to western North America, closely related to the Blue Jay found in the rest of the continent, but with a black head and upper body. It is also known as the Long-crested Jay, the Mountain Jay, and the Pine Jay. It is the only crested jay west of the Rocky Mountains. The Steller's Jay shows a great deal of regional variation throughout its range. Blackish-brown-headed birds from the north gradually become bluer-headed farther south. More

Steller's Jays are most similar to the Blue Jay of the East, but there's very little range overlap between these two species. The Steller's Jay's sooty head quickly distinguishes it from the Blue Jay. Western Scrub-Jays and Pinyon Jays often occur in adjacent habitats, but lack the Steller's Jays prominent crest. More

The Steller's Jay lives in coniferous and mixed woodland, but not in completely dense forest, and requires open space. It typically lives in flocks of greater than 10 individuals. More

North American RangeThe Steller's Jay is a striking bird with deep blue and black plumage and a long, shaggy crest. The front of its body is black, and the rear is deep blue. The black extends midway down its back and down its breast. It has faint, dark barring on its wings. Adults have blue vertical 'eyebrows' above each eye. The juvenile appears similar to the adult, but has a slightly browner head and lacks the blue eyebrows of the adult. More

Listen to recordings of a Steller's Jay from the Library of Natural Sounds: Steller's Jay calling Steller's Jay imitating a Red-tailed Hawk The Steller More

The Steller's Jay is a very pretty bird that doesn't seem to be particularly shy of people. Although it is lovely to look at, it has very harsh, noisy vocalizations. It is the provincial bird of British Columbia, Canada. Steller's Jays are frequently seen in the Rockie Mountains. Used with permission. © Leanne Guenther Distribution/Location General: The Steller's Jay is a member of the Jays and Crows family. More

The Steller's Jay and the Blue Jay are the only New World jays that use mud in the construction of their nests. Steller's Jays are normally nonmigratory, although populations that breed at high elevations typically move to lower elevations during the winter. Periodic irruptions of large flocks (mainly young birds) bring this jay into areas and habitats not normally occupied. The Steller's Jay shows a great deal of variation in appearance throughout its range, with some populations featuring black crests and backs, and others blue. More

The Steller's Jay occurs in the same evergreen forests but is replaced by different jay species in other forest types. MIGRATION Some of North America's hardiest bird species, only Blue Jays and American Crows fly south to escape the winter and even these are short distance migrations limited to birds that breed in regions with very harsh winters. More

The Steller's Jay has a more slender bill and longer legs than the Blue Jay and has a much more pronounced crest. The head is blackish-brown with light blue streaks on the forehead. This dark colouring gives way from the shoulders and lower breast to silvery blue. The primaries and tail are a rich blue with darker barring. More

The Steller's Jay is British Columbia's provincial bird. It is a large, striking, bright blue and black songbird with a dark crest on its head. The wings and tail are a bright blue, and the body is a bit darker. The forehead generally has white and sky blue streaks. These birds are between 30 and 34 cm long (12 to 13 in.). Males and females look very similar. More

Predators: Raptors (owls and hawks) Steller's Jay on the ground, alert NPS Alert Steller's Jay General Biology: This conspicuous bold black-and-blue bird is our only crested jay of the western states. Many visitors mistakenly call it a Blue Jay, a close cousin, but until recently their ranges did not overlap. The other all-blue jay of the west is the Pinyon Jay, which is also found at Bryce Canyon, but lacks a crest. More

Steller's JayThis information was scanned from The Birds of British Columbia (Campbell et al.), Volume III, pages 194-201. Volumes I, II and III of The Birds of British Columbia can be ordered electronically at: orders@ubcpress.ubc.ca from UBC Press in Vancouver, British Columbia. More

This Steller's Jay lives near Florissant, Colorado. It's bright blue is a stark contrast to the camouflage colors of the surrounding Pike National Forest. Commonly referred to as "camp robbers"*, Steller's Jays (Cyanocitta stelleri) are one of two species of crested jays in the genus Cyanocitta, the other the Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata), the only crested jays in North America. More about this bird at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology where you can listen to their call here, http://birds.cornell. More

steller's jaySteller's Jay is also known as the loudest of its kind. Found high on the mountain slopes of the west, this bird lives its life much like its eastern relative, the Blue Jay. Description Of Bird - Measuring 12 to 13 1/2 inches in length. The crest, back, and breast are blackish. The belly, wings and tail are deep blue. This birds call is a loud Shaack! Shaack! Shaack! May also mimic the screams of hawks. More

Steller's jay and chicks in nest. Photo copyright Kim A. Cabrera 2008. Steller's jay tending its chicks in the nest. This nest was located in a very well-hidden location under the eave of a building, with plants growing around it for concealment. A Steller More

Steller's Jay on Branch » Great Egret » Big Gobbler » Turkey Flapping Wings » Four Gobblers » Raven in Flight » Robin » Towhee » Tom Turkey » Spotted Towhee More

picture of a steller's jayAnyone who has camped in the mountains of California knows this bird well. They congregate around campgrounds boldly snatching scraps or your unattended lunch. The Steller's jay is a very showy deep blue with a black crest. They use this crest to communicate. The Steller's jay is closely related to the eastern Blue Jay. Niche filled by the Steller's Jay The Steller's jay lives in dense coniferous forest and takes advantage of human populations. More

The Steller's Jay lives in coniferous and mixed woodland, but not in completely dense forest, and requires open space. It typically lives in flocks of greater than 10 individuals. Food is gathered from both the ground and from trees: the Steller's Jay's diet consists of a wide range of seeds, nuts, berries and other fruit. Many types of invertebrates, eggs and nestlings are eaten, and acorns and conifer seeds form a staple at some times of the year. More

Steller's Jays, like other members of the crow family, are opportunistic omnivores. This species is an important player in the dispersal of Garry Oak acorns, which it collects, and caches for future use. In the spring, jays will prey on the eggs and nestlings of other birds. The Steller's Jay gives a variety of raucous calls and scolds, and is an accomplished mimic; it will often give the call of a Red-tailed Hawk when an interloper comes into its territory. More

* 5 Steller's Jay can mimic cats * 6 unidentified bird External links - These recently-added links don't work for me. Maybe someone can find a working replacement... More

Steller's Jays have a varied diet of seeds, peanut butter, insects and baby birds. We watch these jays eat hundreds of bumble bees every spring and summer. They are also known to devastate a bird's nest and eat baby birds. They are particularly fond of hummingbirds. We watched a Steller's Jay try to capture a juvenile hummer while the hummer was sitting in a bush. More

Steller's jay is the only western jay species with a crest. More

local listserv or Harry about Steller's Jays you encounter anywhere in the West this winter. Back to Identification Article Page to IdahoBirds. More